National school based group education to reduce alcohol consumption Matrix Insight, in collaboration with Imperial College London, Kings College London and Bazian Ltd, were commissioned by Health England to undertake a research study to develop and apply a method for prioritising investments in preventative interventions for England. Seventeen preventative health interventions were included in the study. Each intervention was evaluated in terms of the following criteria: reach; inequality score; cost-effectiveness; and affordability. This report presents the results of the analysis for one of the interventions: national school based group education to reduce population levels of drinking. The full report of the study is available from the H.E.L.P. website. Summary Description of the intervention It was not possible to model the classroom intervention so it was not necessary to eliminate all of the interventions to determine which one to model. Three interventions were identified, all of which were RCTs. 1. SHAHRP (curriculum based) alcohol reduction program Sessions included utility information, skill rehearsal, individual and small group decision making and discussions based on scenarios suggested by students with emphasis on identifying alcohol-related harm and strategies to reduce harm. Resources and training used included teacher training, teacher manual, student workbooks, trigger video (featuring common scenarios to trigger discussion). 2. Skills for Adolescence: Session curriculum for 7th grade students Aim was to teach social competency and refusal skills 3. STARS programme (Start Taking Alcohol Risks Seriously) compared with minimal intervention control; nurseled consultation regarding young person's alcohol use based on stages of initiation and change prevention model (transtheoretical model) Brief consultation with nurse Up to 10 prevention postcards sent to parents Follow-up consultation in second year Four family lessons Cost effectiveness Cost. The costs of the interventions varied from 20.3 to 150.7. Effect. With all three RCTs there is a positive effect on the levels of alcohol consumed. Benefits. Lifetime benefits of this intervention could not be estimated due to the lack of epidemiological data on the relationship between young peoples alcohol use and alcohol use later in life (Jones et al, 2007a).
Effectiveness evidence A literature review was undertaken by Bazian to identify evidence on the effectiveness and costeffectiveness of school based group education to reduce population levels of drinking. Further details are available on the evidence methods page of the H.E.L.P. website. The review of the evidence on the effectiveness of classroom interventions to reduce population levels of drinking identified three studies. Table 1 provides the following details of the studies identified: Population Intervention Results The review of the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of school based group education to reduce population levels of drinking identified one economic study. Table 2 provides the following details of the studies identified: Population, intervention and model Perspective, discounting, inflation, cost year Utility/benefit Unit costs Efficiency Table 3 and Table 4 provide a quality assessment of the studies. Further details are available on the quality appraisal methods page. The following criteria were applied to select effectiveness evidence for undertaking the economic analysis: Location. Studies from the UK were preferred over studies from other locations. Population. Studies applied to the general population were preferred over studies applied to restricted population groups (e.g. pregnant women; individuals from specific communities/nationalities). Counterfactual. Studies for which the counterfactual intervention was usual care or do nothing in a UK setting were preferred over studies for which the counterfactual was different from usual care or do nothing. Method. Studies using more rigorous design methods (e.g. randomised control trials or quasi experimental designs with regression models controlling for confounders) were preferred over studies using less rigorous design methods (e.g. before-after studies or simple correlation analysis).
Table 1. Effectiveness of school based group education to reduce alcohol consumption Study reference Population Intervention Results Studies on which NICE PH7: Interventions in schools to prevent and reduce alcohol use among children and young people bases economic models and evaluation (3 RCTs) are extracted here. Cost modelling associated with these studies is detailed in cost-effectiveness table. McBride, 2004; Australia randomised controlled trial one of three studies in a review of effectiveness of school based interventions to reduce alcohol consumption that were used in further cost modelling by NICE Metropolitan, government secondary schools in Perth, Western Australia; phase 1 were children in first year of secondary school (most students were 13 years old); phase 2 was in the second year of secondary (most aged 14 years); 2,343 students in total Intervention SHAHRP (curriculum based) alcohol reduction program Phase 1: 17 consecutive skills-based activities in first year (over 8 to 10 lessons of 40-60 mins per lesson) commencing when students were 13 years old. Phase 2: 12 consecutive activities (over 5 to 7 weeks) including skill rehearsal and group decision-making and discussions in second year RR of hazardous/harmful drinking: 0.66 (0.57 to 0.77) at 20 months 0.95 (95% CI 0.83 to 1.09) at 32 months Sessions included utility information, skill rehearsal, individual and small group decision making and discussions based on scenarios suggested by students with emphasis on identifying alcohol-related harm and strategies to reduce harm. Resources and training used included teacher training, teacher manual, student workbooks, trigger video (featuring common scenarios to trigger discussion) Control Regular alcohol education classes during phase 2 of study; some schools used one or more of these resources: Western Australian K20 health education curriculum
Study reference Population Intervention Results alcohol education support materials, 'Rethinking Drinking' resource for harm minimisation, 'How will you feel tomorrow' resource for harm minimisation and School Drug Education Project pilot lessons Eisen, 2003; USA randomised controlled trial 7,426 11 to 14 year olds in 34 schools; two year post-test (1-year postintervention) data were collected from 5691 eighth graders Intervention Skills for Adolescence: 40 session curriculum for 7th grade students Aim was to teach social competency and refusal skills Binge drinking 3+ 30-day (12 months): WMD -0.44% (95% CI -2.79 to 1.91) Control Usual drug programming Werch, 2003; USA randomised controlled trial 650 sixth-grade students from two middle schools in Jacksonville, FL Intervention STARS programme (Start Taking Alcohol Risks Seriously) compared with minimal intervention control; nurse-led consultation regarding young person's alcohol use based on stages of initiation and change prevention model (transtheoretical model) Brief consultation with nurse Up to 10 prevention postcards sent to parents Follow-up consultation in second year Four family lessons Control Alcohol education booklet (Results in format presented in NICE review) Short-term effects: 30-day heavy use: 0.42 (95% CI 0.18 to 1.00) Medium term effects: 30-day heavy use: 0.58 (95% CI 0.30 to 1.12) (Meta-analytic results from the NICE review are not used here because they combine studies with slightly different programme content). Results from those using the intervention described here are quoted
Table 2. Cost-effectiveness of school based group education to reduce alcohol consumption Study reference Population, intervention and model Perspective, discounting, inflation, cost year Utility/benefit Unit costs Efficiency NICE base their cost modelling on three studies found in a review of effectiveness of school-based interventions to prevent or reduce alcohol use. Results of the modelling are provided here Jones et al (2007a) cost modelling by NICE based on studies found in review of effectiveness Costs were based on 30 students receiving SHAHRP intervention (see effectiveness table McBride, 2004). Cost per case averted derived from indicative cohort of 900. Public sector perspective No adjustment for inflation No discounting Cost year: GBP2005 NS Total cost per student: 31.16 Breakdown Staff cost: 377.00 Training cost: 557.80 Consumable cost: 0.00 Cost per case of hazardous/harmful drinking averted: 20 months: 284.54 32 months: 1,869.71 Jones et al (2007a) cost modelling by NICE based on studies found in review of effectiveness Costs were based on students receiving Lion s Quest Skills for Adolescence intervention (see effectiveness table Eisen, 2002). Public sector perspective No adjustment for inflation No discounting Cost year: GBP2005 NS Total cost per student: 150.67 Cost per case of binge drinking averted: 12 months: 34, 254.70 Jones et al (2007a) cost modelling by NICE based on studies found in review of effectiveness Costs based on students receiving STARS for Families intervention (see effectiveness table Werch, 2003) Public sector perspective No adjustment for inflation No discounting Cost year: GBP2005 NS Total cost per student: 20.30 Cost per case of 30-day heavy use averted: 2 years: 540.25
Table 3. Quality assessment for effectiveness studies Study reference Follow-up Intention to treat? QA for trials/rcts Attrition Groups similar or controlled? Randomised? Score Grading (++ 4-5; + 3; -0-2) McBride, 2004; Australia Yes No Yes No Yes 3 + Eisen, 2003; USA Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 5 ++ Werch, 2003; USA Yes Don t know Yes Yes Yes 4 ++ Table 4.Quality assessment for economic studies Study reference All costs of intervention included? Market values used for costs? QA for economic studies Perspective reported? Sensitivity analysis? Reports base year adopted? Effectiveness data from RCT or MA? Score Grading (++ 4-6; + 3; -0-2) Economic modelling based on above studies conducted by Jones et al (2007a) SHAHRP Yes No Yes No No Yes 3 + Lion s Quest Yes No Yes No No Yes 3 + STARS Yes No Yes No No Yes 3 +
References Eisen, M., Zellman, G.L., Murray, D.M. (2003) Evaluating the Lions-Quest "Skills for Adolescence" drug education program, Second-year behavior outcomes, Addict Behav, Vol. 28, Nr. 5, 883-97pp. Jones, L., James, M., Jefferson, T., Lushey, C., Morleo, M., Stokes, E. (2007a) A review of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions delivered in primary and secondary schools to prevent and/or reduce alcohol use by young people under 18 years old, PHIAC 14.3a Alcohol and Schools: Review of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, Liverpool: Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University. Available from: http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/alcoholschoolsconsreview.pdf. Jones, L., Stokes, E., Bellis, M. (2007b) A review of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions delivered in primary and secondary schools to prevent and/or reduce alcohol use by young people under 18 years old ADDENDUM: Additional economic evidence prepared for the Public Health Interventions Advisory Committee (PHIAC), Liverpool: Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University. Available from: http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/ph007addendumeconomicsreport.pdf. McBride, N., Farringdon, F., Midford, R., Meuleners, L., Phillips, M. (2004) Harm minimization in school drug education: final results of the School Health and Alcohol Harm Reduction Project (SHAHRP), Addiction, Vol. 99, Nr. 3, 278-91pp. Werch, C.E., Owen, D.M., Carlson, J.M. (2003) One-year follow-up results of the STARS for Families alcohol prevention program, Health Education Research, Vol. 18, Nr.1, 74-87pp.